Bank-check, &amp;c., and writing fabric for same.



Patented Dec. 3], IQOI.

& N G G H M C mm M 9 6 0 N BANK CHECK, &c., AND WRITING FABRIC FOB SAME.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1895.)

(No Model.)

THE NORRIS vzwzw cov Pnm-o-umm, WASHINGTON n, cy

UNTTnn STATES PATET FFICE.

CHARLES M. HIGGINS, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

BANK-CHECK, 800., AND WRITING FABRIC FOR SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,148, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed August 26,1895- Serial No. 560,488. (No moclehl To all whom, it irtcty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bank-Checks, &c., and WVriting Fabrics for the Same, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to render alteration of the writing of the check either by mechanical erasure orchemical manipulation difficult or impossible. Many methods have been heretofore devised to this end, most of which consist in systems of registering or indicating numbers or figures on the check or in numbers punched into or cut out of the check which show the original and true amount thereof. Other methods act by so slitting, puncturing, or embossing the check on the written spaces as to prevent alteration of the writing on such spaces without great difficulty. Still other methods employ a system of sensitive tinting or ruling under or upon the writing-spaces, the removal of which in attempts to alter the writing gives indications of such attempts. In some cases soluble or sensitive colors are ruled on or under the writing-spaces, which being dissolved and spreading when altering fluids or chemicals are applied thereto indicate by the consequent stain so produced that attempts have been made to wash out or dissolve the Writing. In my invention, however, I accomplish the desired purpose by means of the material, substance, or fabric of the check itself and the ink or writing in relation thereto.

Heretofore the body or substance of the check has usually been made of some kind of paper; but in my invention I form the body or substance of the check of a finely-woven fabric of cotton, linen, or other fiber which is so treated or prepared as to present a smooth writing-surface and of'such an absorbent nature as will allow the writing-ink to sink in or penetrate the threads of the fabric entirely or partly through the same, thus rendering mechanical erasure of any kind impossible or verydifficultwithout easydetcction. I preferably use a thin penetrative ink which is chemically unalterable or uncolorable, such as a fine aqueous carbon ink or any equivapreventing both mechanical and chemical tampering with the writing of the check, and by very simple and effective means.

My invention therefore consists, mainly, in the features above outlined, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 presents a face view of inyimproved check, and Fig. 2 a reverse or back View of the same. Fig. 3 is an exaggerated cross-section. Fig. 4 illustrates the preparation of the fabric of the check.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the entire web sheet or bodyA of the check is formed of some finelywoven fabric of cotton, linen, silk, or other fiber, preferably of cotton. The texture of this woven check-body is of course shown very much exaggerated in the drawings for purpose of clear illustration; butin practice he weave or mesh will be exceedingly fine, having no appreciable space between the threads, yet showing adistinctly woven mesh on close examination. I prefer to use one of the finest qualities of cambric for the basis of the fabric of the check, which cloth has a simple fine square weave; but a fine silesia or satine having a twilled weave may also be used to advantage. The cloth as it comes from the mills will require some treatment to form a suitable writing-surface thereon, which can be done in various ways. trate one simple way in Fig. 4, in which the cloth as it unwinds from the roll a passes through a tank or trough b of suitable sizing, then between scrapers o c, which remove the surplus size, and then passes over a series of supports or rollers (Z d and through a drying space or room until sufficiently dry or set, and then passes between hot calenderingrollers ff, which render one or both sides of the cloth smooth and even, and also preferably somewhat compresses or condenses the cloth, and thus makes a smooth and even writing-surface thereon. The combined operations 0f saturating the cloth with size and rolling or compressing it between the calen- I illus-' der-rolls ff will not only cause the fine interstices of the mesh to become filled up, but the grain or roughness of the weave will also be smoothed down, compressed,or obliterated and the fibrous or hairy surface thereon eliminated, thus forming a smooth writing-surface, over which the pen will glide smoothly without being liable to catch its point in the mesh or be foulded by the hairy fibers projecting from the threads, as would happen if the cloth were not thus treated. It will not be objectionable, however, if a slightly grained or corrugated surface is left on the cloth, provided it is not such as to catch the pen, as would exist in ordinary untreated cloth. The size used should preferably be soluble in watersuch as gelatin,starch, dextrine, or gum or their equivalents-and preferably with some mixture of earthy mattersuch as talc, whiting, &c.-so as to nicely fill the texture of the cloth and preferably render it quite opaque, either with a pure white color or a suitable tint. Both the sizing and calendering operations should be so conducted as to leave the cloth with a writing-surface which will be quite absorbent and nonrepellent to the ink without allowing it to spread thereon materially, so that when written on theink will sink, partlyor entirely, through the body of the fabric, as this is most important to my invention. \Vhen the cloth is thus prepared, it can be cut up into suitable sheets, and the checks, drafts, bills of exchange, or other instruments may be printed thereon with ordinary printers ink either by surfaceprinting, plate-printing, lithography, or other means in the same way that ordinary checks or other instruments are usually printed, as shown in Fig. 1, as my invention does not concern the printed matter or printed form of the check. It will now be noted, however, referring to Fig. 1, that when my improved check is written upon the ink will sink intoand penetrate the threads of the fabric through or partly through the same, so as to appear partly or wholly on the back of the check, as indicated in Fig. 2. If an attempt is now made to alter any part of this writing by mechanical erasure, the threads of the woven fabric will be exposed and be.- come immediately apparent by such erasure, and if the erasing be continued the threads will become out and broken, as indicated at in Figs. 1 and 2, and thereby give a glaring indication of such attempts, which will obviously be much more apparent and conspicuous and more difficult to safely conceal than would be any equal erasure on a paper fabric. As the writing practically extends completely through the fabric of my improved check, it would be thus necessary to erase entirely through the fabric to remove the ink, and it will be seen that the difficulty of doing this without detection will form a great deterrent to attempted frauds or defeat them if attempted. Now it is well known that it is comparatively easy to effect or to conceal an erasure in a paper fabric on account of its conglomerate felted texture, as it is only necessary to cover the erased spot with a small deposit of wet paper-pulp similar to the original paper, which will unite with the underlying and surrounding fiber and completely conceal the erasure. Even if the ink should extend entirely through the paper it is quite possible to cut an entire piece out of the paper and replace it with pulp and then press and iron the part, thereby making a new surface, undistinguishable from the original, on which the altered amounts can be Written. Such alterations have been, as a matter of fact, frequently made successfully with paper checks by expertcriminals." It will be noted, however, that in my improved woven check with theink or writing extending through the same any superficial erasure will be difficult to conceal on account of the definite meshed texture giving inst-ant indication when abraded or cut and of the great difficulty of applying anything over the superficial Wound to conceal the same, whereas if a piece be actually cut out of the cloth and a new piece be put in the difficulty of matching the threads of the mesh will be so much greater than is the case with a similar patch in the indefinite or conglomerate texture of paper as to be practically impossible or so difficult as to be a great deterrent to all criminal in tentions. It will be obvious that not only will it be difficult to conceal any erasures on the woven check, butit will also be much more difficult to elfect them than would be the case on a paper check on account of the individual threads of the meshed texture catching the erasing-blade and being liable to cause a break or tear which will be (lit-- ficult to conceal, and here it should be specified that in sizing and treating the cloth, as described, it should not be made stiff or inflexible, but only sufficiently charged to form 1 a smooth absorbent and non-spreading writ ing-surface thereon, leaving the body of the cloth soft and flexible, but not limp, as this superior flexibility and toughness of the cloth check with its absorbent and meshed texture are obviously great advantages over the paper check in the great difficulties thereby pre-- sented to all abrasions or erasures.

For writing on my improved check any thin penetrative ink can be used which will sink into and penetrate the fabric, through or, partly through the same, as specified. Any of the writing inks or fluids now in common use for writing checks may be so used, and it will be practically impossible to alter them by mechanical erasures when once written on my improved check, as already explained. It will also be much more difficult to alter such ordinary inks by solvents or chemicals applied to the cloth check than would be the case with paper checks, for the reason that the woven check Will become warped and distorted more than would the paper, and the displacement of its threads will give a more be bleached or discolored by chemicals or is not soluble by ordinary solvents, and for this purpose I prefer to use a fine, aqueous, carbon ink, such as india-ink diluted or any of the liquid carbon inks now on the market. It will therefore be seen on again referring to Figsal. and 2 that when the writing of the check has been executed in such carbon ink and has penetrated the fabric, as shown, and dried therein no solvent or chemical action will'remove it,and any liquids or solvents so applied will only act to fix the ink more firmly in the cloth or so warp and twist the cloth as to leave a clear indication of tampering, and thus protect the check effectually against chemical as well as mechanical alterations.

In some cases the cloth of the check can be impregnated with fixing or mordanting chemicals, which when written on with a suitably-prepared dye or fluid will form a fixed or unalterable ink in the texture of the cloth and having great adhesion for the fiber. In this way indelible anilin-black may be produced in the writing of the check, as will be readily understood by chemists and dyers. This is mentioned as an instance of the effects which can be so produced, which can be varied a great deal by varying the mordants or fixing chemicals in the cloth and the dye or fluid with which the writing is effected, which is well known to dyers and chemists.

It will be readily understood that the difficulties already named in the way of altering the writing on my improved check will also apply to attempted alterations of the check punch-marks or figures shown at m in-Figs. I and 2. In paper checks it has been known that the punched figure-holes have sometimes been filled up with paper-pulp or with a patch or piece of paper of corresponding form deftly inserted and united with the surrounding paperand the original amount thus altered; but it'will be seen that it will be very difficult to do this successfully in my improved check, for the reason already giventhe great difficulty of matching the threads of the mesh at any out parts, a condition quite different from what exists in the conglomerate texture of the paper check. Furthermore, it will be seen that any attempts to tamper with the cut-out figures in my improved check, even though no patching or filling is attempted, will be much more apparent on account of the tendency of the threads to unravel at the cut edges when thus tampered with, and thereby expose such attempts. Indeed, all the usual safeguards heretofore employed in paper checks will act with much greater efficiency on my woven check and may be used to add to the difficulties and increase the margin of safety. For example, embossing, slitting, or puncturing the check over the written and figured amount-spaces will be very effective on my check, as any attempts to either mechanically erase or chemically dissolve the writing thereon will almost immediately disintegrate the fabric by the unraveling of the short threads at the cut or slit part-s, whereas the slit or cut paper would stand much more soaking without any disintegration on account of its compacted felted structure. Again, tints of soluble colors ruled on the check under or upon the writings-paces or coloring substances impregnating the body of the check will be also very effeotive' on my cloth check, for when dissolving liquids are applied thereon the cloth will absorb them more readily and rapidly than paper would and the colors of the ruled tint or of the impregnating particles will be absorbed by the cloth and spread therein more readily and the cloth will also retain them more tenaciously than paper, as cotton cloth is much more absorbent than paper and has usually more affinity or tenacity for colors. Hence the detective and indicating stain on the cloth check under such circumstances will become much more certain and glaring than on the paper check. It will be here observed that by having the sizing of the check fabric soluble in Water, as before described, not only is it morereadily penetrable to the ink without objectionable spreading, but the cloth is also made readily absorbent to all the ordinary chemical solvents used for removing inks, which are usually aqueous, so that the absorbent non-repellent quality of the cloth, with its meshed structure, easily raveling when cut, and its soluble sizing are all important elements of safety in the improved check.

I prefer to prepare both sides of the cloth from which the checks are made with a similar Writing-s11 rface, as already described, and shown in Fig. 4, so that the check can be as readily written upon at the back as on the front, as shown by the indorsing-signature in Fig. 2. I also prefer to make the cloth quite opaque, so that although the writing from either side extends nearly through to the other, yet the opaque ground will render the reading of the check distinct and its appearance easy to the eyes.

My invention of course applies to all'commercial papers as well as bank checks and draftssuch as bills of exchange, notes, letters of credit, bonds, stock, and other documents which are to be protected from mechanical or chemical alterations, as will be understood.

I am aware of the safety-paper shown in United States Patents Nos. 167,223 and 167,987, of 1875, which is made of a sheet of paper overlaid with a facing of open network; but this is distinct from my invention in the fact that in that case the paper sheet essentially forms the writing-surface to re- IIO &

ceive and retain the ink, the writing of the check being thus done essentially on paper, as heretofore, and not on absorbent cloth, as in my invention. In my invention the whole writing-surface and body of the check is formed of a finely-woven absorbent fabric having no appreciable opening or mesh-space, and this fine fabric forms in itself the essential writing-surface and medium to receive and retain the ink, which penetrates through the absorbent fabric, thus rendering erasure practically impossible, which is not the case with any paper sheet, as already explained. I am also aware that various kinds of cloth or woven fabrics have been heretofore made for writing or drawing on with inks; but I am not aware of any fabrics being made for the purpose of my invention or capable of fulfilling that purpose practically. All fabrics heretofore made for writing or drawing have been des'ignedly made to resist the penetration of the ink or to hold it on the surface and are thus impenetrable or repellent to the ink and not deeply absorbent thereto, as in my invention. This is the case with all tracing-cloths, blue-print cloths, and other cloths made for writing or drawing. Now it is necessary for my purpose that the cloth be flexible, but not limp, as limpness would prevent the movements of the hand and pen by the ruffiing up of the limp cloth in advance of the pen. It is also necessary that the cloth be very closely woven and formed with a smooth surface to allow the pen to glide over without catching, and it is necessary that it be so sized or treated as to prevent the ink from spreading laterally and yet allow it to sink into and penetrate through the fabric, and it is important that the body of the cloth be more or less opaque and not transparent, like tracing-cloths. Now I am aware that there are cotton or linen fabrics made for dress and other purposes that may have one or more of these qualities; but there are none that I am aware of having the essential combination of qualities which renders my cloth distinctive and novel and enables a safetycheck such as I have described to be made therefrom. For example, ordinary fine undressed muslins are too limp in body and rough on the surface to admit of being used as a writing medium, the limpness and roughness preventing the movements of the pen. Such fabrics are, however, freely absorbent to the ink, but to such an extent as to allow its spreading in all directions, and are thus impracticable for writing. In another class of fabrics having a glazed or sized and calendered surface, like that made for linings, window-shades, &c., the sizing or coating is either impenetrable, forming a non-absorbent surface, or the fabric is so loosely woven and is so freely absorbent in the sizing as to allow the ink to spread and blur, and thus defeat the purpose of this invention.

What I claim is 1. A check, draft, or its equivalent, made of a finely-woven fabric formed with a smooth absorbent writing-surface on one or both sides adapted to allow the writing-ink to sink into and penetrate the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A check, draft, or its equivalent, made of a finely-woven fabric formed with a smooth absorbent writing-surface, and having its wording written in a penetrative ink, which penetrates the threads of the fabric through, or partly through, the same, thereby rendering alteration or erasure difficult or impossible, substantially as set forth.

3. A check, draft, or its equivalent, formed of a finelywoven fabric formed with an opaque and absorbent writing-surface, and having its wording written with a penetrative unalterable ink, which penetrates the substance of the fabric, substantially as herein set forth.

at. A check, draft, or its equivalent, made of a finely-woven fabric formed with an absorbent writing-surface, and having its wording written with a thin penetrative carbon ink, which penetrates the threads of the fabric through, or partly through, the substance of the same, thereby rendering erasures difficult or impossible either by mechanical or chemical means, substantially as herein set forth. I

5. A safety writing fabric consisting of a finelywoven fabric formed with a smooth absorbent writing-surface adapted to allow the ink to sink into, or penetrate the substance of the same, without objectionable spreading, substantially as herein set forth.

6. A safety writing medium, consisting of a finely-woven fabric'of cotton, linen or other fiber formed with a flexible and opaque body and a smooth absorbent or non-repellent writing-surface, substantially as herein set forth.

7. A safety writing fabric consisting of a finely-woven cloth impregnated with'a size soluble in water, having a flexible and opaque body and a smooth absorbent and non-spreading writing-surface, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. A safety writing fabric for checks and other docu ments formed witha flexible opaque body and smooth absorbent writing-surfaces on both sides of said body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 22d day of August, 1895.

CHAS. M. HIGGINS. Witnesses:

THOS. E. ROBERTSON, W. E. OLENDANIEL. 

